A royal Cage
by ievandie
Summary: A lovestory. It's been done, but hey it's still fun! updated 23-4, chapter 4.
1. A girl named Charlie Brown

A girl named Charlie Brown

Saturday night, 23.00 hours, Northwest harbor district, Baltimore MD.

The club was jumping. From the top of the stairs the man had a panoramic view on the dancers on the floor below. They moved like the tide. The heat rising from them was almost palpable in the air. Lasers skimmed the crowd and touched the contours of the man. For a moment the large tattoos on his bare arms were clearly visible but then the light moved on; leaving him in a relative darkness. A small amount of blue light, coming from a bulb at the top of the stairs, only just revealed the content smile that crossed the man's face before he started his descend into the pool of bodies.

The new club was in a former industrial area; its previous life still recognizable by its height and from all the pipes that were cutting trough the room. From the gigantic speakers hoovering above those pipes pure and liquid dancemusic was oozing, soaking every body as it touched ears, skins, hands and the very souls of the dancing crowd. The laserlights flashed, drawing 3d figures above the sweating and swinging masses. They were clearly visible in the air since most of the other lights were burried in the floor: an illuminated, multi-coloured, flashing dance floor. The dancing crowd trew shadows and thus added an ever changing piece of light art to the patterns of the pipes. Blues, purples, pinks and greens all melted together on the ceiling. At the far end of the room in front of three huge loading bay doors there was a very long bar. It was made of glass and had neonlights along the whole length. Where as the floor gave you a seventies-feeling, the bar looked like a relic from the eighties, like something that could have been in the movie "Cocktail". 

Moving with the crowd the man slid through the dancers like a shark through the waves. At the bar he ordered a beer from a blond girl. He turned with the bottle in his hand and hanging against the bar he started to slowly scan the crowd, treating the girl behind him with a full view of the three X's tatooed in his neck.

Xander Cage badly needed a place to unwind after a long, weary day at the offfice: debriefing never being his strongest side. A groan ecaped him: at his own debriefings, when it came to x-treme video's they just sat down, had a couple of beers, made an inventory of what went well and how to pull an even bigger and better stunt next time... That was simply a matter of checking if everyone was still alive, then if nobody got caught and if so how to bail them out. No, those debriefings never took more then two beers tops. Beers shared with good friends... However, not with Gibbons and Tannick at the helm! The debriefings of his direct boss and his boss' surperviser never ever included such enjoyable pleasures as beers. Maybe that was because at the rate they were going even a non-drinker would manage to get drunk; talking for hours and hours going over every little detail again and again. And tommorrow, oh yes, please don't bother whether it is a sunday; even more! He smiled sarcastic, shook his head, tilted it and poured the beer down his troat. 

Next to him three giggling girls were ordering a drink. They were talking to one of the bargirls and naming all kind of cocktails and mixes. Everytime the bartender started to mix something, the girls decided they wanted something else. He glanced to his side, in front of the girls were already six glasses each holding only a small amount of liquer. This time the girl behind the bar just did not act when the girls requested an Southern Suicide. She just held up the Jack Daniel's. "You're not gonna make me my cocktail, are you?" one of the girls said after a short while. "Well, I always thought that getting dressed was difficult because of the choices, but I have to review that!" Although there was no trace of impatience in the voice of the girl tending them, the three were offended. X expected that they were just playing the bargirl. "If you don't get me what I ordered, I have to inform your boss," the talest one said arrogant. The bargirl's brown eyes grew just a bit wide and her darkbrown eyebrows raised: "Ooh, I'm so sorry... Now I understand, yes of course... I'm sorry, I know exactely what you want. It's been so obvious from the way you've been ordering, isn't it? This can only lead to one drink... of course, how stupid of me... it's just that I do not know any girls your age who drink it but... you really know your way around the bar don't you? Are you some kind of... professionals, I mean this kind of order normally only come from dancers or singers, I mean, it's really an incrowd-thing, isn't it?" Amused X looked at the girl, her eyes were wide and appeared completely innocent. She is just so totally playing them. Those innocent big eyes... this is NOT for real! A splitsecond she looked at him, their eyes locked, and the intensity of those sparkling darkbrown gems made him unconsciously hold his breath. "I'm just so sorry I did not catch up earlier," she continued to the three in a flattering voice. "Sorry. I've not worked here so long, were as you..." the silence could implicate anything but the girls were abashed and blandished. "I'll be just a moment," the girl at the bar took the glasses from the counter and turned around. She was screened from the view by the cash register and the next moment she turned back and presented three glasses that contained a fizzy brown drink. "Here you are, I'm just so sorry, but I did not expect you girls to have such an exquisite taste... that'll be 45 dollars," she added without even blinking. Smooth, X thought. Now they can't complain about the price or the taste without confessing they don't know hell what she's talking about. The three girls paid and took their drinks, but the bargirl called them back: "Now, now, let's not forget the straws, shall we?" waving three straws towards them bearing one of the sweetest and innocent smiles X had ever seen. The girls could not find any trace of insincerity as they carefully took the offered straws and wandered off. When the bargirl started to put away the bottles, X turned completely towards her and cleared his troat: "If I wanted one of those, what would I have to ask for?" he said against her back. Slowly she turned and looked at him. She took in the complete picture of this guy: bald head, brawny, tattoos, a glint of prank in his eyes. "You would have to ask for our famous 'Charlie Brown'..." she put the last bottle back above the bar, leanded over to him and continued in a soft voice, just audible above the noise of the music: "but believe me: you do NOT want one of those!" They stared each other down, brown eyes meeting brown eyes, a gaze like dark chocolate starting to melt, until she slowly said: "But hey, I could get you another beer to drink away the disappointment!"

X released his breath but before he could answer a bottle of beer was placed between them with a sharp knock. "I'm perfectly able to get my customers a beer, thank you Charlie!" the hand holding the bottle belonged to the blond girl, who casted a furious look at 'Charlie' and then smiled sweetly at X whilst opening his bottle. "You just had to ask sweetie!" she said to him. But X was looking at her co-worker. "Charlie?" he said as if contemplating, "...as in your 'famous 'Charlie Brown''?" Slowly a grin spread on her face, a grin that caused Xander's pulse rate to soar. "Can I get you anything else sweetie?" the voice of the blond cut through the moment like a chainsaw trying to get hold on an iron girder. She pushed Charlie aside. "Yeah, yeah, I got the message Erica!" With a gesture Charlie pushed a curl of reddish-brown hair behind her ear, which just popped back instantly. "You know, he may want an 'Erica Brown' later!" she told Erica as she passed her on her way to the other end of the bar where several customers were shouting their orders. Erica looked confused for a moment but then she shrugged her shoulders and turned to X again, saying: "Don't mind her sweetie, it's Erica Green, but she always had a weird sense of humor." X nodded and turned towards the crowd again, but just so far that he could see the other end of the bar from the corner of his eye: I would prefer a 'Charlie Brown' to an 'Erica Green' anyday, he thought: if only to honor Charles M. Schultz!

Where he had come in with the idea of dancing until he dropped, he found himself listening to the girl named Charlie. Being a Saturday, it was the busiest night of the week and the girls behind the bar did not get any moment to rest. Charlie's chats with customers and her colleagues were humorous and X found himself smiling and sometimes bursting out in laughs during the next half hour. He found her remarks entertaining and the sound of her voice relaxing. The only thing that annoyed him was Erica. Where as Charlie was busy all the time, Erica seemed to have a lotof spare-time : and she used all of it to talk to X. She soon found out he was into extreme sports and just 'loved' it; she went on and on about it. On the other hand, talking to Erica also got X some information: that all the girls behind the bar were foreign, that they were all in the US to study, that the owner of the bar was a person named Sadie who would not let her girls talk too much unless they were really special like, what do you know, Erica! She also told him that the club had only opened its doors for about two months, which explained why X had not heard of it before: he had been on an undercover-job for the NSA in Estonia. No, he mentally corrected himself, that was not entirely true, he had been on a trip to the most awsome waves in the world off the coast of Chili, when Gibbons snatched him away from the ride of his live. He sighed in frustration just by thinking about it again. "What now 'Mister X-treme'? You did not try an 'Erica Brown', now did you?" He looked up to find Charlie standing in front of him reaching up to grab a bottle from one of the cabinets above the bar while making a 'tsk-tsk' sound. Somehow she had overheard his conversation with Erica or had the blond 'drill' told her? They did not seem to get along that well together, but anyway... she had found it interesting enough to remember! "Well, I don't suppose you know a way to save me from one, do you?" he asked. She looked into his eyes again before answering. This guy really had smouldering eyes, she could understand Erica's interest in him. Surprisingly his comments were more humorous and intelligent then she would've expected from the look of his arms. "When you look in the mirror, Mister X-treme, do you really think: hey, here's a guy that needs salvation?" While he laughed she got back to her customer and the next moment Erica was back, being a bit too friendly and trying to find out what Charlie had said to him. 

While Xander was occupied parrying Erica a guy came up to the bar. "Hey Charlie, what does a guy have to do to get a 'French Kiss' from you?" he said in a thick, boozy voice. The explicit sexual undercurrent of the question got the attention of not only X and Erica. Charlie crossed her arms and looked at the guy: "Well now, that's an easy one Russ: you just pay me 7 dollars and 45 cents!" Some people at the bar started to laugh. Russ also showed a somewhat forced smile. He started again: "And what about a 'Kiss in the dark', that's a good offer for a girl like you: powerfull and all..." Another round of laughs, but X observed that although there was a smile on Charlie's face, it did not quite reach her eyes. Feeling confident again Russ continued leaning on the bar towards Charlie: "Or are you more the type for a 'Whipster'? Ouch, baby, I could really have a good time with you or... yeah, I know, babe, you can get me a Blow J..." before he could complete his sentence Charlie suddenly moved and brought her face levelled with his. " Well I do know a nice 'Snake Bite', Russ, and I have a 'Bad habit' for a 'TKO', although I don't think you could afford that one... docter's fees do soar to record heights these days, don't they!" As the bystanders started laughing again Charlie walked away and a black haired woman came over to Russ. "Hey Russel! You better chill now, before she starts cooling you down with the water dispenser... and Erica...," she turned to the blond girl, "I don't mind if you go snowboarding, skating, parachute jumping or whatever 'muscles' here wants to do with you, but do it in your own time ok?" She turned to Xander: "She get's off at half past midnight 'muscles' !" 

"Xander." said Xander looking at her, and when the woman shot him a confused look he repeated a little more clearly: "Xander: 'She gets off at half past midnight, - Xander - '" Charlie turned at once, looked him in the eyes and said: "Xander? ...as in the famous 'Welcome-to-the-Xander-zone-Xander Cage'?" Before he could confirm, the black-haired woman said in a astonished voice: "Xander CAGE? THE Xander Cage?" she was bluntly staring at him now. Xander nodded slightly making a confirmative grunt. "Well Xander Cage," Charlie said motioning towards the woman: "meet Saddie Fister, married to Lee Fister, nice guy with just a minor defect: he knows your whole collection of extreme video's by heart." Xander extended his hand but the woman introduced to him as Saddie Fister was still staring at him mumbling: "Xander Cage, Xander Cage, Lee's going to go through the ceiling when I tell him this!" She suddenly grabed his offered hand. "Nice to meet you. Sorry to be staring, but when Lee hears this..." There was a sound of shattering glass from the other end of the bar. Saddie looked at it and said: "Sorry, I have to... Alice!" and off she went towards another bargirl who just missed a bottle while flipping it.

The moment Saddie was out of sight Erica came back. "I have to be quick, Sadie is in a foul mood tonight: we always go to a place called 'The New Haven Lounge' when we get off. You know that? Its on Havenwood road. It plays mostly blues and jazz, but its open until at least 2 am!" "You all go there?" X asked. "Well, not Sadie of course! Please tell me you're coming?" At a warning "Erica!" from Sadie she gave him another beer and another "please?", X gave in, he didn't have anything else to do until tomorrow 9 pm when he was supposed to be back in Gibbon's office again and the continued debriefing looked like the perfect place to catch up on some sleep.

Sunday morning; 00.40 hours; Xander's GTO; Northwest harbor district; Baltimore MD.

Xander sat waiting for the girls to come out of the club. He wanted to know if they all would go to 'The New Haven Lounge'. Well, actually; he smiled to himself; he just wanted to know whether Charlie was gonna go or not. The last customers had come out about a quarter past twelve and just now the door opened to let the employees out. In the light from the sign above the door he could see that both Charlie and Erica were part of the group. They left together and X was about to start his car when Charlie suddenly stopped. "...forgot my..." Xander could make out. The rest of the group stopped, but Charlie gestured them to go on. She returned to the club and went in again. The group slowly walked on. Only a moment later Charlie emerged and started at a quick pace to catch up again. X was once again about to turn the key when he saw a person coming up behind her. What the... he thought as the man grabed Charlie by her shoulder. She turned around and reading her body-language X could make out that she was not pleasantly surprised. "...let go!" she screamed and in a moment X was out of the car. "Hey!" he called out, recognizing the guy as Russel from the bar. Instead of backing up Russel tried to grab hold of Charlie, but she had ducked and created a distance between them. When Russ started to cross it she shouted: "I'm warning you Russ, that TKO was not a joke!" Xander started to run towards them when Russel made another attempt. With precise body control she turned, brought her leg up and delivered a forceful kick to his chest, bringing him down. A moment X slowed down in astonishment, he just had seen a perfectly executed roundhouse kick! He picked up his pace again and when he reached them, Russ was down on the ground, grasping at his chest. Charlie stood some eight feet away from him. "You bitch! You broke my ribs!" Russ was yelling.

"You just shut up, before I break something else!" Xander hollered at him. "Are you okay?" he stepped closer to Charlie, who stepped back but then recognized him. She nodded, and seemed to relax. "In contradiction to him," she pointed to Russ, "although I did not kick him full force and I did not aim for his head". Russel was starting to get up again, when X forcefully gave him a hand. "Well, Russel, what about it?" he snapped at the other male. "Are you going to leave or what?" When Russel nodded, X pushed him on his way and turned to Charlie again. The moment he faced her he read off her expression that something was amiss behind him. X turned in a second, Charlie's "Look out!" was already aimed at his back. Xander faced Russel who leveled a Webly .455 revolver at him. Acting on instant, without thinking, Xander whipped his 44 Magnum from its holster. "Okay Russ, now let's not get into this," X slowly said. "You had a bit too much to drink," he continued when he saw Russel did not move, "and you just want to get home and sleep off the hangover pal." "Are you a cop?" Russel whispered. "I try my best to avoid any contact with them." X answered. Their was a short silence before X started to talk again. "Russel? This is how we can solve this: you gently lower your gun and I'll lower mine." It looked like Russel was considering. "You can do it," X went on: "look I'm lowering mine already." Russel started to lower his. But suddenly he said: "And you leave with her?" Bringing his gun up again, his volume increased as he continued: "Is that it hot-shot, you leave with the girl? I don't think so!" He grabed hold of his gun with new strength when X simply said: "Yeah, whatever!" and pulled the trigger. Russ's eyes glazed over before he dropped to the ground and in the same moment X heard a alarming cry behind him.

Charlie screamed and X turned towards her just in time to elude a flying kick. "Hey! Hey!" he shouted, trying to get through to her while blocking another strike. "Hey listen! He's not dead! He's just unconcious!" He collapsed on his knees when she kicked the side of his left knee hard. The swing of her outstreched hand stopped just inches from his throat. The expression in her eyes changed and X continued: "Yes! He is not dead, I just stunned him!"; finally he was getting through to her: "He will be allright," he said, still on his knees, "he'll have a bit of a headache, but hey, he already has a hangover, he won't know the difference." Slowly she let go of him and got up. "I'm... I'm sorry, I thought you..." she started. "Yeah, it's okay. I know what it looks like." Xander got up too, wiped his trousers and walked over to Russel to retrieve the little green dart from his chest. He felt the man's ribs. "He neither has any broken ribs, so he's not likely gonna sue you." 

He looked at her, she probably wanted to go to the police. And when they did an investigation that would eventually lead them to the NSA... 'I hate cops!' he thought. "So, you wanna sue him?" he asked her. "No, no, if he's going to be alright... we could just let him be right?" "Sure..." he stretched the word; this was strange. She continued hurriedly: "I mean, there is no reason to call the cops now is there?" - a beat - "I'm not hurt, he's not hurt too much and you're not hurt, are you?" X shook his head. "...and you say he's going to live, so..." 

Something was wrong in this picture. A girl who is harrassed by a guy who even drawed a gun... X could imagine a less forgiving attitude. "You do not want to go to the police, do you?" she asked him. "No, not particularry interested. They do have a tendency of not enjoying my stunts as much as your boss's husband." She smiled. "Okay then. I have to thank you mister Cage." "Please, it's Xander, and friends just say X!" he said. "Well, thank you... X... I'm..." she looked at the slumped form of Russel's body and then at X again: "I'm just gonna get home now." She turned and started to walk away when he called out: "Just one thing..." She turned back. "What's in a 'Charlie Brown'?" She started laughing and just before she turned again she said: "The content of all those glasses and a lot of cola!". She then continued walking; leaving X just standing on the sidewalk, thinking why the sight of this girl laughing, illuminated by a streetlight was so absolutely mesmerizing.


	2. A dream ride

A dream ride

Saturday night, 22.00 hours, Northwest harbor district, Baltimore MD.

Xander was at the club again. Like a month ago the place was packed with people, moving to the infectious beat. Cautiously he moved down the stairs and started moving through the crowd, taking care not to bump too much into anybody. 

Maybe it wasn't such a great idea to come here after all. While in Gibbon's office he had felt a whole lot better than a week ago, now was another thing... By the time he had reached the bar he felt like he had just out-boarded an oncoming avalanche on a snow-covered mountain. He ordered a beer, to celebrate two facts; one: he had made it to the bar and two: as of yesterday, he had refused to take anymore painkillers. 

The taste of the cool beer released some tension in his muscles. That he felt so much better than a week ago was not surprising, considering the fact that at that time he had been drenched, alone in the dark, clambering onto a boulder in the middle of the Lower Kern river, California, while being hit again and again by an abundance of water. His kayak shot to barrels by a scumbag named Whitteker and more bones broken in his body then he ever imagined having. However, Whitteker himself was a corpse right now, his ride being a real explosion, when his hot-wired kayak; originally X's; bumped into one of many boulders. So actually X got the good end of the bargain, and that was without questioning the cascade; the run had been a continuous adrenalin shot: long turbulent rapids of raging and fuming whitewater. During that night on the boulder X had wandered in and out of consciousness and his feverish dreams were fed by the ongoing roar of the water. Most of his dreams included diving out of a plane in a kayak and landing in the Kern for the ride of his life again. However this time he was conscious from the moment he started his free fall instead of coming to in a liquid hell and, to his content, there were several waterproof cameras strapped to his vessel. 

Somehow he had managed to struggle on shore the next morning and after wandering the woods for hours he had come to an abandoned campsite: his kayak-season had started a bit early this year... He had broke into the reception desk cabin and used an emergency-phone to contact Gibbons, who had come to the hospital in Bakersfield two days later to pry him for information but also to rescue him from a month in a boring ward. And now their most reviled but yet irreplaceable agent was back in Baltimore, with nothing else to do than to recover. The ultimate time to hunt down the other feverish dream he had had on that rock: the spellbinding vision of a girl laughing, illuminated by a streetlight.

Much to his chagrin, the girl of his dreams, was not behind the bar. Erica Green was. He gestured at her. "Hey! Mister X-treme! I remember you... it's been a while, hasn't it?" her smile seemed to hold a sweet promise, "Where did you went last time? Couldn't you find 'The New Haven Lounge'? I will be more than happy to show you the way in about two hours, you know... Or did you get cold feet?" "Yeah... among several other body parts..." X. muttered; he spoke up: "And how have you been?" Knowing well, before he said it, that his question would smash a dam and as he predicted a constant flow of words started to cascade down. I should stop comparing things with water related topics, he thought with a quick grin: must be a side-effect. He cleared his throat: "So, you've been fine lately... Listen, the last time I was here, there was this girl named Charlie..." If a piranha could smile it would probably look a lot like Erica right now. "Oh yeah... I remember her..." she started in a content voice: "Yeah, she quit! All of a sudden. I personally think she was not able to handle the customers, or maybe she was unable to combine her study with her job here. And I do not blame Saddie, I mean, sometimes she wouldn't show up for a week or so..." "When?" X interrupted the continuing flow. "What do you mean 'when'? When do I get off?" Xander did his best not to groan: "When did Charlie quit?" "Oh," her face clearly displayed her disappointment, "I don't know, is this so important, I mean... there are more enjoyable subjects to discuss here, now are there...?" "Erica...," he suppressed his irritation and continued: "you're in the same occupation. Charlie quitting may have something to do with a danger that could happen to you... I just don't want anything happing to you..." He dangled the bait in front of her, gift-wrapped in the sound of his husky, sexy voice. "Oh, you're such a darling, worrying about me..." Dream on! X thought as Erica continued: "Well, Saddie only told us last week, but she didn't work the week before that one either so... Hey..." her voice was anticipating enthusiastic: "We don't have to go to 'The New Haven Lounge', I mean, it's mostly tiring jazzmusic, we could..." "Thank you Erica, but no, I must decline." he said brusquely and simply turned back. 

When Erica turned away insulted, Saddie just put down the phone at the other end of the bar. The moment she had seen Erica wasting time talking again while the club was jam packed she was about to fire her. But seeing the object of her stalling, she changed her mind; just for now anyway. The mentioning of Charlie's name only confirmed her, she didn't hesitate any longer, took out her stale notebook from under the bar, flipped through it, stopped and dialled the number. 

Saturday night; 22.20 hours; exclusive dining-conference room at the Millenium UN Plaza Hotel; One United Nations Plaza; New York, NY.

Charlie was leaving the restroom when her cellphone buzzed, and she stepped back in to answer it. The inside of the room was imposing and luxurious: honey-shade marble, gold-plated fountains, adorned by rich red oak accents with big mirrors framed with an abundance of carved fruits and flowers in gold. The music coming from the piano in the room next door filtered in. The noise coming from the other end of the line was like from an alternative universe and it took her a moment to recognize Saddie's voice through it. "Is that you Saddie? Are you calling from the club?" She concentrated and could hear her boss trying to make herself audible: "Where the hell are you Charlie?" Charlie frowned: "I'm in New York." Saddie was silent, in direct contrast of her surroundings. "And what the hell are you doing in New York?" "Attending a supper after a tour of the UN headquarters, Saddie, what's wrong?" "You're attending a what?" her boss yelled, continuing without waiting for an answer: "Well, it doesn't matter, listen, remember you once asked me to call you in case you were not in? Well you better get your butt out here and dress hot! I have to go now!" Charlie could hear Saddie starting to yell at a customer before the line went dead.

Saturday night, 22.25 hours, Northwest harbor district, Baltimore MD.

Had she quit because of the incident with Russel? Xander kept wondering. He did not like the idea that he had anything to do with her quitting her job. On the other hand, he wouldn't dare to think of what would have happened if he had not been there that night. He smirked: she probably would have kicked the guy into oblivion. He revelled in the memory of her sublime roundhouse-kick and suddenly felt lost in the middle of the crowd. Emptying his bottle, with one last sip, he started to get up when with a 'tud' another bottle of beer was placed in front of him. He slowly raised his head, meeting Saddie's eyes. "You were not thinking of leaving now, were you Xander Cage? Remember: You're-in-the-Saddie-zone now!" she smiled at him. He smiled back and started: "Well..." but then a guy next to him accidentally poked him in the ribs and his face went pale, he had to make an effort not to moan in pain. Off her worried expression he reacted: "It is nothing serious, just some bruises: occupational hazard," - his slow smile would have melted an iceberg - "...but I really should be going, sorry." She replied before he could move: "Oh, come on now, don't you dare leaving without telling me how you got those bruises! I won't tell anybody, that is... nobody besides Lee and anyway this beer is on the house so..." At first Xander was inclined to let her sweet-talk him into staying; at this moment he wouldn't be able to walk straight up all the way back to the stairs anyway. But after she went to take care of some other customers he felt the pain lessen and knew that if he did not leave now, he would probably have to crawl back to his car. Now that the adrenaline from the thought of seeing Charlie again died out he felt even more that he shouldn't have come here, in his condition he should be in a bed, sleeping. Slowly he got up and started the long way back to his car. He almost reached the stairs when a hand on his shoulder made him grind his teeth in pain. He slowly turned around, swearing to return after recovering and make this person pay for his actions. 'This person' turned out to be Saddie again. "Hey mister Cage, you really shouldn't leave, I mean..." then seeing that he was about to double over, she led him the last few steps to the stairs and sat him down. "You're not well at all, are you? " she continued and muttered: "A few bruises, my ass!" She looked at him, the expression of pain on his face made way for one of embarrassment, when she suddenly sat down next to him. X raised an eyebrow: "I'm okay Saddie, I don't need you to babysit me." "Don't worry I'm not gonna..." all of a sudden she continued: "The thing is, Charlie had every intention of showing up tonight, but she got preoccupied this evening." This made him raise both his eyebrows: "Well, it doesn't matter," he answered, "I shouldn't be here Saddie, I was just wrong..." He grabbed one of the balusters to hoist himself up when Saddie said: "No wait, there is a bit more to it actually. I shouldn't be telling you this, but you're really gonna leave, aren't you?" With a bit of a sigh X let go of the baluster and looked at her expectantly. "I promised Charlie to call her if I would ever spot you in the club again." She continued hastily: "And it is true she quit, but only because..." "She asked you to call her when you saw me?" X interrupted her, his voice reflecting his surprise: "How many guys do you have to call her for?" Saddie stood up again and looked him up and down: "Well, at the risk of you getting ideas: just one: you!" "And you did? Call her?" he started laughing, but stopped soon because of the pain in his ribs. She couldn't hide a hint of contentment in her voice: "Well, I've played the messenger boy long enough: I've given you the information, now you see what you do with it," and with that she went back to the bar, leaving a rather astonished Xander on the steps.

Sunday morning, 02.30 hours, Northwest harbor district, Baltimore MD.

The quietness of the Northwest harbor district was suddenly disturbed by the unmistakable sound of a Ducati motorbike. The sound from the engine was reflected off the buildings and it startled X, he yawned, his bones were giving him a hard time and the nap in his front seat hadn't improve things. After his conversation with Saddie he had wanted to stay in the bar and wait around for Charlie to show up, but his body protested against even the slightest physical exertion; there was no way he was going to make it to the bar again. So eventually he gathered all his strength and went up the stairs to sit in his GTO. There he had fallen asleep, waking up now and then because of the uncomfortable position. 

The Ducati now rounded a corner and came into sight in the rearview mirror. It's rider parked it on the pavement in front of the club and got off. She, the tight black leather suit revealed every curve of her body, made her way to the entrance. Xander cautiously sat upright, could it be... would she ride a bike? By the time she tried the door and found it closed, he had gotten out of his car. Leaning against it he admired both bike and biker. When she turned towards her dark blue and white S4R she noticed him. For a moment she stared through the tinted face shield. Then she slowly took of her helmet and an cascade of reddish-brown curls confirmed his suspicion... Charlie...


	3. Coffee with a Lady

Coffee with a Lady

Sunday morning, 02.30 hours, Northwest harbor district, Baltimore MD.

"I like your wheels" Xander's husky voice came from the other side of the road. - And your suit, and the way you try to put those curls behind your ears, and the way you never seem to succeed at it, and I like... well basically I like everything about you - he thought while crossing the street. 

Charlie looked at the impressive image of Xander Cage in tight black jeans, a white t-shirt and a dark leather long coat. Yet, the image showed some inconsistencies; a minor unsteadiness when he pushed himself off the GTO, just the slightest limp when he crossed the street and when he stopped right in front of her she could see that there were bags under his eyes. 

He just stood there and looked at her, "Yeah, I definitely like it" he repeated but he wasn't looking at her bike... There was no alcohol on his breath, she noted, "It's a Ducati Monster S4R, isn't it?" he continued when he was finally looking at it. What was he doing here in the middle of the night? Looking like he had been to hell and back again, she thought. "Wanna hear it?" she asked him, when he was facing her again. "Well, the only one that was sleeping is already wide awake so..." While they walked the few steps to the bike, she continued her thoughts: Saddie must have told him, that would be the only explanation of why he was still here. But that meant that he had waited for her! - By the time she arrived at the airport tonight she knew the club would be closed but she couldn't resist to pay it a visit on her way home. 

She turned the key and revved the engine. "Wanna ride it?" she asked. "You bet I wanna, and that just makes it tough to decline, but I must: I've been smashed just a bit too much during my last stunt." So that's the explanation for that slight stiffness, she thought and said: "Think you can still lift a cup of coffee?" "Sure...": he never had such a low interest in a bike ever. Charlie continued: "You know the 'Sip and Bite dinner' at Boston Street? It's just a three minutes ride and they're open all night." With one of those grins X motioned: "Well, you lead the way, I'm just a regular visitor of Baltimore, not a local". 

Sunday morning, 02.45 hours, Sip and Bite dinner, 2200 Boston Street, Baltimore, MD 

When they arrived the nightly rush-hour was just about dying out, yet their first coffee was at the counter. Their conversation had started at Xander's body-damage and had gone from kayaks to bikes. He learned that the S4R was a gift from her father. After 3 a.m. tables started to free up and they sat down at a boot. "Can I get you anything else hon'" the waitress asked after their third refill. "You want anything or..."Charlie said and looked into those deep brown eyes, she could easily drown in, pools of deep dark chocolate: "...or would you like to come..." before she could finish her sentence, there was a shrieking sound outside, and they both turned their heads. Three cars had stopped just outside the door of the bar, partly on the pavement thus scaring the late night public out of the way. A couple of men in black suits got out. While the suits were already entering the dinner, Xander groaned when he recognized the last man to leave one of the cars: Gibbons.

Within seconds Xander, Charlie and their waitress were surrounded. "I don't believe this!" Xander started angrily. "No way guys, wherever you want me to go, I'm not going. I'm just gonna sit here in peace and quiet" Their surroundings were anything but peace and quiet but that did not seem to bother anybody. Xander continued: "And I'm gonna sit here for as long as I want. And noone, I mean noone, is gonna make me change my mind about it!" He suddenly turned to the waitress and continued to the shocked girl as if to emphasize his words: " Yeah, I would like another refill". Someone slowly clapped his hands and the suits made way for Gibbons: "Hear, hear! Well, Triple X that's great. Because that is exactly what I want you to do: sit here just in peace and quiet..." he moved his hands as to emphasize the noise in the bar, "...for as long as you want!" Xander cast him a foul glance. Gibbons continued stoically: "As for the lovely lady whom you're sharing a table with...", he looked at Charlie, "My name is Augustus Gibbons, I work for the National Security Agency," he took an ID-card out of his pocket and showed it to Charlie. He continued: "And you are Lady Carlotta Valentine Asinari, daughter of The Lord Valentino Ghiron Roberto Asinari, Marquis of San Marzano. Can you identify yourself?" Charlie paled slightly but then nodded and took out her drivers' licence. Gibbons only briefly glanced at it before returning it. "Your immediate presence is wanted in San Marzano, if you come with me, there is a plain waiting..." Her face paled further and she looked like her heart was in her mouth. She swallowed hard: "Is it... Is it my father?" she asked, her voice slightly wavering. Gibbons nodded: "We can talk more in the car, but we really need to go now!" Gibbons turned and Charlie followed him when X, who had been watching with growing amazement, started: "Hey, what the hell is going on here?" But his boss did not pay him any attention, he simply opened the door for Charlie and walked behind her towards the car while the suits surrounded them and were checking out the street.

Xander followed them: "Hey! Hey Gibbons talk to me man! What..." Still his boss just entered the car behind Charlie. It was only when Xander stood in front of the black limo to prevent it from moving that Gibbons rolled down the window: "Well, Triple X, I thought you just wanted to sit there in peace and quiet for as long as you wanted?" He got one of Xander's famous groans for an answer. He continued: "But if you insist on working..." he trowed a key towards X. "...take care of the bike." And with that the black limo screeched away, barely hitting X. It leaved him standing on the pavement with only a key and without the physical condition to ride the monsterbike it belonged to. "And here I was thinking her name actually might be Charlie Brown..." he muttered after the car had disappeared.

Sunday morning, 04.30 hours, NSA's headquarters, 25 Light street, Baltimore, MD 

When Gibbons got back from the airport his secretary informed him that he had a visitor. Gibbons did not need psychic powers to figure out who would pay him a visit on such a ungodly hour: Triple X. Yet, on entering his office, he did not find his 'wildcard' in his favourite seat: Gibbons' own chair behind his desk; although it was Triple X's coat that was hanging from the back. Slowly he scanned his office, when a soft grunt from the couch got his attention. Gibbons grinned and yelled: "Triple X!!" To his utmost pleasure that startled Xander, who shot up, and was harshly penalized for it by the pain that soared through his body. X groaned at his boss. Gibbons smiled satisfied. "Triple X, I only want you in here by nine p.m., not by four!" he walked over to his chair, trowed the jacket on the back of the couch and sat down as his agent was getting up. He continued to the still muttering Xander: "Feeling a bit better already? I didn't think you could move, I was rather expecting to be bringing flowers and oranges to your bedside!" His agent stood on the opposite of the desk, arms folded, his agitation shown by the flexing of his muscles. "You're quite done being all bright and chirpy?" Xander spat. Gibbons sighed: "Well, let's have it then..." "Let's have it? Let's have it, you say?" Xander had unfolded his arms and was now leaning towards his boss, his fists on his desk. He raised his voice: "Yeah, like 'let's have some INFORMATION' Gibbons, like WHAT the hell is the meaning of this talk about a 'Lady', being a daughter of some 'Lord', like WHERE the hell is 'San Marzano' and like WHY the hell you ruined MY date?" Gibbons casually sat back in his chair. "Well, well, you're sure that was a 'date' Triple X? That is indeed interesting information you're sharing there!" Xander just looked daggers at him and warned him in a low voice: "Gibbons...!"

Gibbons looked at his agent. He made a mental note to investigate Triple X's relation with the Lady later on, although he could not believe... Of course he knew about the broad reputation with ladies his agent had, but a real Lady was not quite his style and Gibbons had been not a little surprised when he was told who the lovely Lady Asinari was drinking coffee with... 

Xander's face, brought a bit too close for comfort snatched him away from his day-, or rather nightdream... "Alright, alright! Hold your horses Triple X! I'm already spilling... As of this night, that information is not classified anymore anyway. It will probably be in this morning's papers too so..." Gibbons started to grind out information: "His grace the marquis of San Marzano, Lord Valentino Ghiron Roberto Asinari was assassinated together with his oldest daughter at 01.00 hours this night, our time of course. He leaves an heir to his title: his grandson Vittorio Emanuele Ghiron Asinari. However, this frandson is only eight years of age, too young to be ruling a marquisate. Luckily for them and for her, the youngest daughter of the Marquis was not in the palace in San Marzano this night, she supposedly was in New York, attending a supper after a tour of the UN headquarters at the Millenium UN Plaza Hotel. When our guys in New York found the bird flown, they successfully traced her to the 'Sip and Bite dinner' in Baltimore, - he slowed down and emphasized each next word - drinking coffee with one of our own agents?!" He looked questioning and accusatory at X. Off X's blank look he continued: "Yes, your lovely 'date' was Lady Carlotta Valentine Asinari, the Marquis's youngest daughter and as of..." he checked his watch, "...three hours ago the legitimate ruler of the marquisate San Marzano, which is by-the-way in northern Italy. She will be its regent until her nephew turns 18." He paused shortly and sat back in his chair again, with one arm resting on the arm rest, his other hand under his chin and his legs crossed he looked like a personification of contentment. "And I must warn you Triple X, before you get any ideas: don't. One: she's royalty, not exactly your kind of people, and two, she's gonna be the owner of a marquisate instead of that nice bike for the next ten years!"

Note: Carlotta Balbo Bertone (born: November 9 1771; died: November 13 1817) was the child of Carlo Emanuele Balbo Bertone and Rosalia Barbara Asinari. Rosalia was the daughter of Filippo Valentino Asinari and Maria Luisa Ferrero Fieschi. Filippo was the 'marchese di San Marzano', a title he inherited from his father: Ghiron Roberto Asinari. 

The present town of San Marzano Oliveto in northern Italy, about 50 kilometres from Genova, was once under the rule of an Asinari. For the story I'll place the marquisate San Marzano more to the north, in the Valley of Aosta, where Italy borders France and Switzerland. 


	4. Meeting again

Sooooo, it's been a while, but thanks to rugby-chick and moonlitday I decided to post a part of the story I had already written. Maybe I'll write more. There is a complete story line but since I thought it up some movies have been released with the same theme and I thought it was not worth the effort anymore…

4. Meeting again...

Friday afternoon; 16.45 hours; last day of competition of the first San Marzano Bi-anual X-treme, San Marzano.

The marquisate San Marzano was doing well. Although the assassination of its ruler two years ago was shocking, it was not unprecedented. San Marzano was actually infamous for its bloody successions to the throne. The viability of the little state had more then once been on a mere thread because of the violent threats to its royal family. Once a sibling rivalry had caused an apparently mad member of the family to pick up a gun and, before laying violent hands on himself, kill all but one member of his family round the 1800's. This bloodbath resulted in a law that no member of the royal family of San Marzano was allowed to be able to yield any weapon. This law also applied to any person engaged or married to them. The royal family was protected at all times and everywhere, so there was no need. Yet nothing can be protected against everything, anytime, anywhere, as had been grisly proved once again. Luckily for the new Marquise regent Lady Carlotta Valentine the royal disarmament-law did not mention any martial arts, as a matter of fact said law was the reason she excelled in them.

The marquisate was officially an authoritative ruled state; the marquis being its solemn ruler. Still since 1814 it had a constitution and a parliamentary system of government, yet it remained a hereditary marquisate. Laws issued by the parliament had to be approved by its ruler and vice versa. It had been decades since any of the Asinari rulers had used their right to issue laws and the parliament had been rather sceptical at first when within a month the new Marquise regent proposed one. This particular law was designed to protect people's privacy and made it illegal to publish outside a court of law, any pictures of anybody against their will. The parliament agreed, seeing also the benefits for their selves to have a bit of a private life. This personal exposure-law made it possible for their new ruler to sometimes just leave all the responsibilities behind and go clubbing without the danger of her little escapade being splashed across every front page the day after. Another legal action the Marquise regent was involved in within the first half year of her regency was the permission to organise a huge x-treme wintersports event every other year. But except for those two things the Lady had been very cooperative.

The first Bi-anual San Marzano X-treme went with a bang. There had been various snowboard and skiing disciplines, from the superpipe to a course that incorporated jumps, rails, and gaps to challenge the riders. There had been a big air competition for motors and a snowcross and hillcross for snowmobiles. Also with intensively personal intervention of the Marquise regent herself, a deputation of rally riders did a demonstration of snow and ice rally that turned out to be a real cliff-hanger. This resulted in the intention to hold one of the rallies for the World Rally Championship next year in San Marzano, arrangements for a meeting with the FIA-officials had already been made. The whole event had only been possible because of a generous gift from the family capital of the Asinaris. Yet the event had already caused a boost to the economy. It had to be seen how much of it would be more long-termed but so far the event had not only been a sporting success but also a financial one.

Most of the programme had taken place in a rather informal atmosphere. Only behind the scenes, like for the sponsors and the important guests, there had been some more official receptions and dinners. The riders were not bothered, unless their sponsors wanted them to carry out some representative tasks. However, now that the finals had all been over, there was an official meeting planned between some athletes and the Marquise regent. She only had held the organisation to two requests; one: she wanted to meet female riders and two: she wanted to meet some of the snowboarders, for the rest of the two hour meeting the organisation was given a free hand. Acknowledging the benefits of someone with political influence and not to mention the publicity worth of a royal that was interested in extreme sports, the organisation was glad to meet with her requests. San Marzano was small, but any country able of organising an event on this scale within two years was important. All participants that were on the meeting-list had been screened by the royal security watch and had been given a sheet with directions in preparation. The meeting started with some female participants and they soon found out that the Marquise regent was not some playboy trying to impress and seduce them.

Meeting a variety of sportsman and -woman was a lot more fun than any official meeting Charlie had attended to in the last two years. As the last part of the meeting started she unconsciously put her tongue between her teeth for a second and swallowed; she was nervous. With all the papers concerning the event she had been sure to get a copy of the participants-list and her heart had missed a beat when she had seen Cage, X. among the snowboarders. Due to official obligations she had not been able to watch any of his runs. And, knowing Xander, she was not surprised that he had not been on the list for this afternoons meeting, he would not be interested in any official business and knowing her royal security watch, a quick grin spread on her face, well: Xander Cage would never, ever pass their checks. But still, he would be around somewhere...

AAre you alright Madam? David Farrinaci, one of her royal guards, asked. ASi, va bene, she confirmed with a smile. The group of snowboarders was leisurely sitting on some benches beside a ramp. They started by introducing themselves and, as she was well prepared, she congratulated them on their achievements and prices. They soon found out that most of the directions priory given were for the benefit of the security guys; the Marquise regent did not mind at all being accidentally addressed as you instead of Madam or Dear Lady. After some fifteen minutes the conversation was coming to an end. Because it was near dinner time her final question was about food: ADo you eat anything special in preparation to the contest? They all sighed and looked at one guy. It was an Italian guy and he started vividly in half Italian - half English about his, home-made, specially prepared race-food. He was famous for his gross recipes, and the other riders were amused to see him spilling them on the Dear Lady. The guy went on and on about self mixed health cocktails, mainly containing sheep liver and caviar. AI can show you some drinks, just wait, my bag is here... he started off towards a pile of bags behind them, but a royal guard stopped him. AWell have to check that bag first sir, and unfortunately the Marquise regents time is up for this afternoon... Im sorry. David Farrinaci said. AOh! When the guy, reluctantly, put down his bag, he failed to look at the pile and caused some of the boardbags to slide a little. This revealed another guy bend over his snowboard, closely inspecting his bindings. He seemed to be checking for any missing or loose screws and straps, wearing a long sleeved polo neck, which collar did not prevent the showing of the two tips of the middle X. Charlie sharply inhaled and her voice wavered slightly when she said: AAnd you 'Mister X treme' what do you drink? First he only lifted his head so far and locked eyes with her when a grin spread over his face and he continued to look up. He slowly rubbed his neck, as if he had been in the same position for some time, smile still huge and never losing eye contact with her when he said: "Personally, I still prefer a Charlie Brown to anything else! For a moment the silence was tangible between them, then he continued: AYeah, definitely favour them, you dont happen to know of anyplace around here where they serve them, do you? AI am sure that you can obtain that information from any of our information desks sir, David Farrinaci cut in, screening X from his charge with his body. AWe ought to move on Madam, he continued to her. Machinelike Charlie shook the hands of the riders feeling his eyes on her all the time. She was already half-turned from them when she suddenly turned back and looked in his direction, the gaze of those brown smouldering eyes made her feel like an ice cube on a hot baking sheet. AActually... she started, putting a red-brown curl behind her ear, Atheres just the slightest possibility that they will serve them tonight at the final party, Im not sure but you might wanna try... the 360 degrees-bar? Somewhere between... eleven and two? The look on her face was a challenge he immediately accepted: AYou bet I wanna! She nodded, smiled and turned to follow her guard.


End file.
